TRAFFIC authorities on Monday stopped several public utility vehicles that were used to transport “flying” voters for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
In a statement, the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic said two jeepneys carrying voters from Barangay Bagombong in Caloocan City to a barangay in Quezon City Monday morning were flagged down.
An out-of-line jeepney traversing the MCU-Divisoria route was also found carrying passengers who paid P100 each for transport service.
The traffic council also stopped a jeepney using a Comelec sign without a permit from the Commission on Elections to use it.
“We have verified with Comelec and they told us that they do not hire PUVs to transport voters to polling precincts. We will be preparing our spot report to Comelec for their information and appropriate action,” Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board member and I-ACT spokesperson Aileen Lizada said.
In Silangan Elementery School in Upper Bicutan, Taguig City, police arrested a 58-year-old driver for vote buying.
Southern Police District director Tomas Apolinario Jr. identified the suspect as Teofilo Banares Jr., a resident of Block 93, Lot 33, Barangay Upper Bicutan. He is now detained at the Taguig City police station.
Case officer P01 Macario Esteban arrested Banares based on the complaint of Reynando Tumaca who claimed he was approached around 7:39 a.m. and offered P1,000 allegedly coming from Barangay Upper Bicutan councilor candidate identified as Primo Quinisio.
Authorities said the case of Banares was the first vote buying incident reported in Metro Manila.
The suspect was later presented at the Commission on Elections command center in Manila.
Apolinario said Banares will be charged with violation of the Omnibus Election Code.
Vote buying incidents were also reported in the provinces of Laguna and Quezon.
An election offense is punishable by one to six years imprisonment and deprivation of the right of suffrage. Public officials who break the law will also be disqualified from holding public office.
Also in Taguig, voters and election officers went outside the Maharlika Elementary School following a brawl involving two men at one of the poll precincts around 2 p.m.
Policemen immediately responded as Maharlika Village is one of the areas of concern because of the intense political rivalry there during elections.
Meanwhile, Elections Commissioner Ma. Rowena Guanzon warned candidates they will be held liable if found guilty of using minors in distributing sample ballots and other campaign materials at polling areas.
“As far as our election law is concerned, those names appearing in the sample ballots can be held liable,” she said.
Also on Monday, a barangay health worker and seven others were arrested, while a barangay captain remains at large for vote buying in Laguna and Quezon.
Suspect Corazon del Rosario, 63, was charged with violation of the Omnibus Election Code for allegedly buying vote at Purok 5, Barangay Milagrosa, Calamba City, Laguna.
Witnesses Calamba City Councilor Saturnino Lajara and Loreta Gareza, an electrician, saw the suspect in the act of giving money to Antonio Latumbo, a registered voter of Barangay Milagrosa.
Police found two P500 bills individually placed inside small envelopes on the suspect.
In Quezon, Christian Maraña, chairman of Barangay Poblacion 2 in Calauag, escaped before police could arrest him after receiving complaints of vote buying.
Witnesses Franklin Maravilla and Franklin Fulgar reported to Calauag Police that the suspect went to their house and gave them two small brown envelopes containing P200 each and sample ballots with the former’s name and those of his seven kagawad.
In Lucena City, police arrested Pepito Carbonnel for vote buying in Purok IV, Dulong Buhangin, Barangay Dalahican.
Also arrested were his companions Virginia Sta Ana, Dory Repollo, Romeo Bersabe,
Arsenio Lagrason, Fernando Casiño and Wilma Anthony.
Police took a shoulder bag from the suspects with several envelopes containing sample ballots and cash from a candidate.
In Rizal, charges of alarm and scandal, direct assault and violation of the liquor ban were filed against Joel Titular and Rey Abines after they were caught drinking at Botong Francisco Barangay. Mahabang Parang, Angono, Rizal.
Also in Cavite, a candidate for barangay chairman was under investigation for vote buying.
Calabarzon police said they have arrested a total of 205 persons for various election-related violations since the election period started last April 14.
Eleazar said that 176 firearms, 32 bladed weapons, seven grenades and more than 1,300 rounds of ammunition were confiscated in raids and check points.
Monday’s elections opened peacefully, but were marred by reports of rampant vote buying.
Local election officer Sebastian Caspe noted that vote buying has become a custom.
“We cannot avoid vote buying. It’s very popular, very rampant,” Caspe told reporters.
Before the elections, Caspe said they had conducted intensive voter education for the public. Roy Tamandao, Joel Zurbano, PNA
Caspe said vote buying is particularly rampant in barangays where there is close competition among political rivals and supporters.
Sr. Insp. Wilmer Dadia, the chief of police of Guiuan, said they were closely monitoring barangays where they received reports of vote buying.